Firearm provided by Ruger for testing & evaluation. Ruger did not see this video prior to publication. Hands-on detailed look at the brace-rail 22 Charger (model 4938) with range time suppressed and unsuppressed — not a multi-month T&E with group data. Specs, pricing, and brace rules change — verify before you buy.
Hey Squat Squad — a lot of you dug the Ruger PC Charger, but blasting through 9mm when ammo was scarce (or just expensive) is painful. So here’s the rimfire sibling: the Ruger 22 Charger. Same “charger” vibe, totally different gun under the hood — and a heck of a cheap plinker / small-varmint PDW-style pistol when you set it up right.
Shop / Idea Lists: SlavGuns Amazon. Looking for a 22 Charger: PSA · Primary Arms · Guns.com. Precision accessories (code SlavGuns on Anarchy-manufactured only): Anarchy Outdoors. Support the channel: join on YouTube.
What it actually is
Name and looks overlap with the PC Charger, but this is a pistol version of the Ruger 10/22 — not a cut-down PC Carbine. At the time of filming it was available in four main varieties (plus a retailer-exclusive camo), including standard and takedown, and newer brace-ready versions with a Picatinny rail section on the rear of the chassis. The one in the video is the non-takedown, brace-compatible model (Ruger model 4938) with an MSRP around $350.
Core specs from the walkthrough
- Receiver: 10/22-style, matte black, stainless bolt, optics-ready Picatinny on top (no iron sights — budget a red dot)
- Barrel: this brace-rail version uses an 8″ cold hammer-forged barrel, 1:16 twist; the other variants in the lineup used a 10″ barrel
- Threads: ½×28 with a thread protector — suppressor- or muzzle-device-ready
- Chassis: polymer with a standard AR-style pistol grip (same family as PC Charger / Ruger Precision), rear Picatinny for brace or SBR stock, front swivel stud, QD sling point on top of the chassis
- Bonus in the box: swivel-stud-to-Picatinny adapter and a included bipod (UTG — more on that below)
- Trigger: standard 10/22 trigger pack; roughly ~2 lb short first-stage take-up, then about ~4 lb to break on my gauge
- Mags: one BX-15 in the box; runs all the usual 10/22 mags (10 / 25, etc.)
Clean that hammer-forged tube if you’re running lots of exposed-lead .22 — fouling will stack up.
Range notes
With a sling you’re pushing pressure away from you and get a usable platform; thumb shelves on the chassis help. Like other 10/22s, there’s no last-round hold-open. I did see a couple of failures to feed (nose-dive) that looked magazine-related more than “the gun is trash” — still a reminder that rimfire isn’t where you want to stake hard self-defense bets if you have better options.
Threaded for a can, I threw on a 9mm suppressor (oversized for .22, but it works). Some ammo was clearly subsonic, some barely — you can hear the difference. Adding a pistol brace made it noticeably easier to shoot, especially for new shooters, versus sling-only. Trigger is fine for a plinker; I wouldn’t chase a match trigger unless you’re turning this into a precision toy.
Mini SWOT (how I’d sum it)
Strengths: proven 10/22 action, strong value at that ~$350 MSRP class, brace-rail Picatinny, stud→Picatinny adapter included.
Weaknesses: you really want a brace (or at least a sling) to get the most out of it; no sights so optic cost can match the gun; included UTG bipod is low-end (expected at this price — and I don’t think you need a bipod here anyway); I’d prefer the QD point on the side like the PC Charger so it hangs barrel-down.
Opportunities: huge 10/22 aftermarket — nicer upright grip (I mentioned a FAB Defense-style grip I like on the PC Charger), brace, red dot for plinking or a low-power optic for varmints, BX or aftermarket trigger packs if you want.
Threats (context of the video era): ATF noise around pistol braces. If braces went away, an SBR tax stamp is the formal path — most folks won’t. Best long-term outcome is Congress/ATF ending the SBR game entirely so we stop playing musical chairs with braces.
Who it’s for
Fun, cheap-to-shoot plinker that can feel similar to the PC Charger / PC Carbine once you brace and optic it. Also a compact property/varmint gun with a red dot (or a small scope) instead of lugging a full rifle. Bottom line in the video: around the ~$300 street class it’s easy to justify — just budget extra for a sight and a brace.
More on the big brother: my PC Charger / PC Carbine videos. Questions — drop them on YouTube. Gear lists: slav.li/amazon. Members: join the channel.
Keep squatting.
Would you run the 22 Charger as a suppressed plinker with a brace, or keep it sling-only and spend the money on glass?
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